A representative of the modern leafhopper subfamily Ledrinae in mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)

Abstract

The Cicadellidae, one of largest insect families, is highly diversified in its living groups; fossils of this family, however, are poorly documented. Up to now, only three modern cicadellid subfamilies have been reported from the late Mesozoic, represented by five monotypic genera. We herein erect a new taxon, Qilia regilla gen. et sp. nov., from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, and tentatively ascribe it to Ledrinae: Paracarsonini. The new genus differs distinctly from other Paracarsonini from the Crato Formation of Brazil in having the head with the apex of the anterior margin acute; the antennae located relatively far away from the postclypeus; crossveins from RA to the anterior margin of the wing absent, resulting in a long and unbroken anterior cell; the terminal branches of RA and MP reduced in number; and crossveins (ir and rp-mp) weakly expressed. The results of the present study greatly expand the paleogeography of modern Ledrinae in the late Mesozoic, and also add some significant information to our knowledge of the diversity, distribution and evolution of early leafhoppers.